{ 


i  2  « 


J 


^  AN  U  AI 


OR  AN 


OF 


k 


?ma|agim;  bees, 

IN    THE    MOST 

il^OFITABLK  MANNER  TO  THEIR  OWNER, 

'  WITff 

INFALLIBLE  RULES  TO  PREVENT  THEfR 
DESTRUCTION  V>\  THE  MOTH 


H  Y    JOHN    M.   WEEKS, 
Of  Salisbury,  Vt. 


SECOND    EDITION. 

MIDDLEBURY      -, 

LAM      K.     J  E  W  E  T  T,     P  R  I  «  T  E  K 

1837. 


i 


I 

*? 


ritred  according  to  act  of  Congress,  m  the  year  1836, 
By  John  M.  Weeks, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Vermont 


prIfp'^ace 


#• 

<* 


It  appears  lo  tlic  wrilur  of  the  following  pages,  thai  a  work 
f>f  this  description  is  much  needed  in  our  country. 

The  cultivation  of  the  bee  {Apis  MeU\/icn)  has  been  too 
loni;  iief^lecled  in  most  parts  of  the  United  States. 

This  i;eiieral  nej;lect    has  uiiquestionablv  originated    from 
ihe   fact,  that  the  European  enemy  lo  the  bees,  called   the 
moth,  has  tound  its  way  into  this  country,  and  has  located  and 
naturalized  itsell  here;  and  has  made  bO  much  havoc  among 
the   bees,    that  many  districts  have  entirely  abandoned  their 
cultivation.     Many  Apiarians,   and  men  of  the  highest  litera- 
ry attainments,  as  well  as  experience,  have  nearly  exhausted 
their  patience,  in  examining  the  peculiar  nature  and  habits  o:' 
this  insect  ;  and  have  tried  various  experiments  to  devn^atme 
means  of  preventing  its  depredations.     But,  after  all  (mE?has 
been  done,  the  spoiler  moves  onward  with  little  molestation 
and  very  few  of  our  citizens  are  willinij  lo  eiipaoe  in  the  rnt-  i 
prize  of  cultivating  this  most  useful  and  profitable  of  all  inset  i 
the  honey-bee. 

The  following  work  is  comprised  in  a  set  of  plain,  cofjc' 
rules,  by  which,  if  strictly  adhered  to  and  practised,  any  pt  < 
.son,  properly  situated,  may  cultivate  bees,  and  avail  himseit  ot 
all  the  benefits  of  their  labors. 

If  the  Apiarian  manages  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  161- 
lowing  rules,  the  author  teels  confident  tUat  no  colon}  will  c\ 
er  materially  suffer  by  the  moth,  or  will  ever  he  dcpiroyed  b 
them. 

The  author  is  aware  of  the  numerous  treatises  Mubiished    - 
this  subject;  but  they  appear  to«him,  for  the  most  part,  to  b 
the  result  not  so  much  of  experience  as  of  vague  ana  conjectu- 
ral speculation,  and  not  sutficiently  embodying  what  is  practi- 
cal and  useful. 

This  work  is  intended  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  Ve- 
mont  hive,  and  will  be  found  to  be  the  result  ol  observation  .u. 
experience,  and  it  is  thought  comprises  all  that  is  necessary  to 
make  a  skilful  Apiarian. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


2043566 


INDEX 


P&Of 

Rule  I.  On  the  construction  of  the  hivf,                  -  5 

Rule  II.  On  swarming  and  hiving,        -                          -  1 1 

Rule  III.  On  ventilating,        ...         -  23 

Rule  IV.  On  preventing  robberies,            -         -         -  24 

Rule  V.  On  equalizing  colonies,  by  doubling, trobliug,  Uc.  26 

Rule  VI.  On  removing  honey,         -        -        -        -  30 
Rule  VII.  The  method  of  compelling  swarms  to  make 
jA          extra  Q,ueens,  and  keep  them  for  the  use 

of  their  owner,        -----  33 
Rule  VIII.   On  supplying  swarms  with  Q,ueenb.  when 

necessary, 38 

Rule  IX.   On  multiplying  colonies  lo  any  desirable  ex- 
tent, without  swarming,         -        -        -  42 

Rule  X.  On  preventing  the  depredations  of  the  rnoth.       43 

Rule  XI.  On  feeding, 56 

Rule  XII.  On  wintering,        -        .        .        .        .  60 

Rule  XIII.  On  transferring  bees  from  one  hive  to  another,  6'-' 

XIV.   General  observations,  -  -  65 


fll  A  1%  UAL,    Si  c. 


RULE  I. 

ON  THP:  construction  of  a  BEE-HIVK. 

A  bee-hive  should  be  made  of  sound  boards, 
free  from  shakes  and  cracks  ;  it  should  also 
be  planed  smooth,  inside  and  out,  made  in  a 
workmanlike  manner,  and  painted  on  its  out- 
side. 

REMARKS. 

That  a  bee-hive  should  be  made  perf(«t, 
so  as  to  exclude  light  and  air,  is  obvious  from 
the  fact,  that  the  bees  will  finish  what  tlie 
workman  has  neglected,  by  plastering  up  all 
such  cracks  and  crevices,  or  bad  joints,  as  are 
left  open  by  the  joiner.  The  substance  they 
use  for  this  purpose  is  neither  honey  nor  wax, 
but  a  kind  of  glue  or  cement  of  their  own  man- 
ufacturing, and  is  used  by  the  bees  to  fill  up 
all  imperfect  joints  and  exclude  all  light  and 
2 


n  AN   EASY   METHOD   OF 

ir.  This  cement  or  glue  is  very  congenial 
to  the  growth  of  the  moth  in  the  first  stages 
()\'  its  existence. 

The  moth  miller  enters  the  hive,  generally, 
ii:  the  night — makes  an  incision  into  the  glue 
<  r  cement  with  her  sting,  and  leaves  her  eggs 
deposited  in  the  glue,  where  it  remains  secure 
iVom  the  bees  ;    it  being  guarded  by  the  tim- 
ber on  its  sides.     Thus,  while  a  maggot,  {lar- 
va) the  moth  uses  the  cement  for  food  until  it 
\rrives  so  far  towards  a  state  of  maturity  as  to 
aWe  to  spin  a  web,  Vv  hich  is  m'ore  fully  ex- 
'      cd  in  remarks  on  Rule  10. 
^._ae  size  of  a  hive  should  be  in  accordance 
\Wui  the  strictest  rules  of  economy,  and  adapt- 
I  to  the  peculiar  nature  and  economy  of  the 
oney-bee,  in  order  to  make  them  profitable 
J  their -owner.  « 

The  lower  apartment  of  the  hive,  where 
hey  store  their  food,  raise  their  young  bees, 
ad  perform  their  ordinary  labors,  should  bold 
,D  ill  .rh  as  a  box  thirteen  inches  and  one  half 
•r  fourteen  inches  square  in  the  clear. 
If  the  tiive  is  much  larger  than  thd  ouj  d  >. 


MANAGING    BEES.#         %  7 

scribed  above,  with  the  chamber  in  propor- 
tion, which  should  hold  about  two-thirds  as 
much  as  the  lower  apartment,  the  bees  will 
iiot  be  likely  to  swarm  during  the  season. 

Bees  in  large  hives  never  swarm  ;  and 
those  in  liives  much  less  than  the  one  alrea-' 
dy  described,  do  but  little  else  than  raise  younj; 
bees  and  lay  up  a  sufficient  quantity  ol  food 
to  supply  them  through  the  coming  winter, 
and  are  more  liable  to  be  robbed. 

AH  hives  of  bees  that  swarm  are  liable  to 
swarm,  too  much,  and  reduce  their  colonies  so 
low  in  numbers  as  to  materially  injure  them, 
and  is  frequently  the  cause  of  their  destriij- 
tion  by  the  moth,  which  is  more  particularly 
explained  in  remarks  on  Rule  2. 

The  chamber  of  the  hive  should  be  made 
•perfectly  tight,  so  as  to  exclude  all  liffhtffrom 
the  drawers. 

Drawers  should  be  small  like  i\u.  :^,  iv^i  ill 
purposes  except  such  as  are  used  for  multi- 
plying colonies  and  transferring,  whicl'  -hvur. 
always  bo  lar<?;e  like  No.  I , 

Hivcr  should  have  elects  on  their  siti 


H  »      AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

as  to  suspend  them  in  the  air  some  distance 
firom  the  floor  of  the  apiary,  the  better  to  se- 
cure the  bees  from  destruction  by  mice,  rep- 
tiles, and  other  vermin. 

The  back  side  or  rear  of  the  lower  apart- 
ment of  the  hive  should  slant  forward,  so  as 
to  render  the  same  smallest  at  the  bottom,  the 
better  to  secure  the  combs  from  falling  when 
cracked  by  frost  or  nearly  melted  in  hot 
weather. 

No  timbers  or  boards  should  be  placed  very 
near  the  lower  edge  of  the  hive,  because  it  fa- 
cilitates the  entrance  of  depredators.  That 
the  back  side  should  slant  forward,  is  obvious 
from  the  fact,  that  bees  generally  rest  one 
edge  of  their  combs  on  that  side,  and  build 
towards  the  front  in  such  a  manner  as  to  en- 
ter upon  the  same  sheet  where  they  intend  to* 
deposit  their  stores,  when  they  first  enter  the 
hive,  without  being  compelled  to  take  any  un- 
necessary steps. 

The  bottom  of  the  hive  should  slant  down- 
ward from  rear  to  front,,  so  as  to  afford  the 
greatest  facility  to  the  bees  to  clear  thei?  ten- 


MANAGING    BEES.  11 

ement  of  all  offensive  substances,  and  let  the 
water,  which  is  occasioned  by  the  breath  and 
vapor  of  the  bees,  run  off  in  cold  water.  It 
also  aids  the  bees  very  much  in  preventing  the 
entrance  of  robbers. 

The  bottom  board  should  be  suspended  by 
staples  and  hooks  near  each  corner  of  the 
hive,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  afford  a  free  en- 
trance and  et{ress  to  the  bees  on  all  its  sides, 
which  will  better  enable  them  to  keep  their 
tenement  clear  of  the  moths. 

There  should  be  a  button  attached  to  the 
lower  edge  of  the  rear  of  the  hive,  so  as  to  en- 
able the  apiarian  to  govern  the  bottom  board 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  all  the  air  they 
need,  or  close  the  hive  at  pleasure. 

The  hive  should  have  two  sticks  placed  at 
equal  distances,  extending  from  front  to  rear, 
resting  on  the  rear,  with  a  screw  driven  through 
the  front  into  the  end  of  the  stick,  which  holds. 
it  fast  in  its  place,  and  a  ventilator  near  the 
top  of  the  lower  apartment  of  the  hive,  to  let 
pff  the  vapor  which  frequently  causes  the 
death  of  the  bees  in  the  winter  by  freezing. 


10  AN  EASY  EETHOD  OF 

The  door  to  the  chamber  should  be  made 
to  fit  in  the  rabitlngs  of  the  same  against  the 
jambs.  In  such  a  manner  as  to  exclude  the 
light  from  the  windows  of  the  drawers,  and  al- 
so to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  little  ants. 
It  should  also  be  hung  by  butts,  or  fastened 
by  a  bar,  running  vertically  across  the  centre 
of  the  door,  and  confined  by  staples  at  each 
end.  There  should  be  three  sheet-iron  shdes, 
one  of  which  should  be  nearly  as  wide  as  the 
chamber,  and  one  or  two  inches  longer  than 
the  length  of  the  chamber.  The  other  two 
should  be  the  same  length  of  the  first,  and 
half  its  width  only. 

All  hives  and  all  their  appendages  should 
he  made  exactly  of  a  size  and  shape  in  the 
same  apiary.  The  trouble  of  equalizing  col- 
onies is  far  less  than  it  is  to  accommodate 
hives  to  swarms.  Much  perplexity  and  some- 
times serious  difficulties  occur,  where  the  ap- 
iarian uses  different  sized  hives  and  drawers. 
But  this  part  of  the  subject  will  be  more  ful- 
V  discussed  under  its  proper  rule. 


MANAGINC;    BEES.  1  1 

RULE   11. 

ON  SWARMING*  AND  HIVING. 

The  apiarian,  or  bee-owner,  should  liave 
his  hives  in  readiness,  and  in  tlieir  places  iu 
th(.'  a})iary,\vith  tlie  drawers  in  their  chambers 
bottuni  up,  so  as  to  prevent  entrance. 

When  a  swarm  comes  fortli  and  has  aliii;ht- 
ed,  cut  olf  the  hmb  if  convenient — shai<e  it 
i^ently,  so  as  to  disengage  the  bees,  and  let 
them  fall  gently  on  to  the  table,  board,  or 
ground,  (as  the  case  may  be,)  ])lace  the  hive 
over  them  before  many  rise  into  the  air,  taking 
care  at  the  same  time  to  lay  one  or  more  sticks 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  raise  the  hive  so  as  to 
give  the  bees  rapid  ingress  and  egress.  If  the 
bees  act  reluctantly  in  taking  possession  of 
tiicir  new  habitation,  disturb  them  by  blushing 
them  with  a  goose-quill  or  some  other  instru- 
ment, not  harsh,  and  they  will  soon  enter.  In 
case  it  is  found  necessary  to  invert  the  hive 
to  receive  the  bees,  (which  is  frequent,  from 
the  manner  of  their  alighting,)  then,  first  se- 
cure the  drawers  down  to  the  floor  by  inserl- 
inir  a  handkerchief  or  somethini^  above  them  : 
now  invert  the  hive  and  shake  or  brush  the 
bees  into  it  ;    now  turn  it  Li;entlv  riirht  em\  up 


12  AN  EA.SY  METHOD  OF 

en  the  table,  or  other  place,  observing  the 
rule  aforesaid. 

REMARKS. 

Bees  swarm  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing to  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on  a  fair 
day,  differing  in  the  season  according  to  the 
climate.  In  Vermont  they  generally  swarm 
from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  fifteenth  of  Ju- 
ly ;  in  late  seasons  some  later.  I  have  known 
them  to  swarm  as  early  as  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing and  as  late  as  four  in  the  afternoon,  i  have 
also  known  them  to  come  lorth  when  it  rained 
so  hard  as  nearly  to  defeat  them  by  beating 
down  many  to  the  ground  which  were  proba- 
bly lost  from  their  colony ;  and  I  once  had  a 
swarm  come  forth  on  the  sixteenth  day  of 
August. 

Experience  and  observation  have  taught 
that  the  Queen  leaves  the  old  stock  first,  and 
her  colony  rapidly  follow.  They  fly  about  a 
few  minutes,  apparently  in  the  greatest  confu- 
sion, until  the  swarm  is  principally  out  of  the 
hive.  They  then  alight,  generally  on  the  limb 
of  some  tree,  shrub,  or  bush,  or  some  other 


MANAGING    BEES.  13 

place  convenient  for  them  to  cluster  in  a  bunch 
not  far  from  the  old  stock,  and  make  their  ar- 
rangements for  a  journey  to  a  new  habitation. 
Perhaps  not  one  swarm  in  a  thousand  knows 
where  they  are  gointj  until  after  they  have  left 
the  old  stock,  aligllted,  and  formed  into  a  com- 
pact body  or  cluster ;  and  not  then  until  they 
have  sent  off  an  embassy  to  search  out  a  place 
for  their  future  residence.  Now  if  the  bees 
are  hived  immediately  after  they  have  alight- 
ed, before  they  send  off  their  embassy  to  seek 
a  new  tenement,  they  will  never  fly  away,  ad- 
mitting they  have  sufficient  room,  (for  it  is 
want  of  room  that  makes  them  swarm  in  the 
first  place,)  and  their  hive  is  clear  of  every 
thino;  that  is  offensive  to  them. 

The  old  custom  of  washing  hives  with  salt 
and  water  and  other  substances,  to  give  them 
a  pleasant  effluvia,  should  be  speedily  abolish- 
ed. Nothing  but  bees  should  ever  be  put  in- 
to a  hive. 

When  bees  die,  the  hive  should  be  cleared 
of  its  contents,  aud  scraped  out  clean,  and  the 
<'iianiber  rubbed  with  cloth  wet  in  clean  wa- 


14  AN  EASY  METHOD  OE 

ler ;  then  set  it  in  its  place  in  the  apiary,  and 
there  let  it  stand  until  wanted  for  use.  An 
old  hive,  thus  prepared,  is  as  good  as  a  new 
one  for  the  reception  of  a  swann.  The  api- 
arian should  exarnine  before  using  to  see  that 
the  hive  is  free  from  spiders  and  cobwebs. 

When  bees  are  not  hived  immediately  after 
they  have  clustered  in  a  body,  they  should  be 
removed  to  the  apiary,  or  several  rods  from 
the  place  where  they  alighted,  as  soon  as  they 
can  be  hived,  to  prevent  their  being  found  on 
the  return  of  the  embassy.  Since  I  have  thus 
practised,  I  have  never  lost  a  swarm  by  flight. 

Experience  has  taught  that  it  is  best  to  re- 
move the  new  swarm  to  the  place  where  it  is 
intended  to  stand  during  the  season,  immedi- 
ately after  hiving.  Fewer  bees  are  lost  by  a 
speedy  removal,  than  when  permitted  to  stand 
until  evening,  because  they  are  creatures  o^ 
habit,  and  are  every  moment  establishing  them- 
selves in  their  location.  It  also  prevents  their 
being  found  by  the  embassy  vvhen^hey  return. 
The  longer  bees  stand  in  the  place  where 
;hey  are  hived,  the  greater  will  be  the  num- 


MANAGING    BEES.  15 

ber  lost  when  removed.  But  more  of  this 
hereafter. 

When  bees  are  collected  in  drawers  for  the 
purpose  of  equalizini;  colonies,  by  doubling. 
&z;c.,  they  should  be  permitted  to  stand  until 
evening  before  they  are  united,  it  being  a  more 
favorable  time  for  them  to  become  acquainted 
with  each  other  by  degrees  ;  and  the  scent  ol 
the  bees  in  the  lower  apartment  will  enter 
through  the  apertures  during  the  night  so  much 
that  there  is  a  greater  degree  of  sameness  in 
the  peculiar  smell  of  the  two  colonies,  which 
takes  oft'  their  animosity,  if  they  chance  to 
have  any. 

No  confusion  or  noise  which  is  uncommon 
to  the  bees  should  ever  be  made  during  their 
swarming  or  hiving.  The  only  efiect  of  noise, 
ringing  of  bells,  he,  that  I  could  ever  discov- 
er, was,  to  render  them  more  hostile  and  un- 
manageable. 

When  bees  are  treated  in  accordance  with 
their  true  nature,  they  are  sometimes  hostile, 
which  originates  from  two  causes  :  First,  some 
of  them  lie  out  of  the  hive  before  swarming. 


16  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

and  some  of  them,  in  consequence  of  their 
confusion  in  swarming,  are  not  apprised  of  the 
intention  of  the  Queen  to  leave  the  old  stock 
and  seek  a  new  habitation,  and  they  sally  forth 
with  the  swarm  without  fiUing  their  sacks  with 
stores,  which  always  makes  them  more  irrita- 
ble than  when  their  stomachs  are  filled  with 
food. 

The  Vermont  hive  possesses  advantages  in 
this  respect,  as  well  as  others,  far  superior  to 
the  old  box.  Instead  of  lying  out  before 
swarming,  as  in  the  old  box,  they  go  up  into 
the  drawers,  and  are  constantly  employed  in 
depositing  the  delicious  fruits  of  their  labors  : 
and  being  in  the  hive,  where  they  can  hear 
and  observe  all  the  movements  of  the  Queen, 
they  go  forth  well  stored  with  provisions  suited 
to  the  peculiar  exigency  of  the  case ;  which 
ordinarily  prevents  all  feelings  of  hostility. 

The  second  reason  why  bees  are  sometimes 
irritable,  and  are  disposed  to  sting  when  they 
swarm,  is,  the  air  is  forbidding  to  them,  by 
being  cold  or  otherwise,  so  as  to  impede  them 
in  their  determined  emigration.     In  all  such 


MANAGING    BEES.  17 

cases,  the  apiarian  should  be  furnished  with  a 
veil,  made  of  millinet,  or  some  light  covering 
which  may  be  thrown  over  his  hat,  and  let 
down  so  low  as  to  cover  his  face  and  bosom, 
and  fixed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  their 
stinging.  He  should  also  put  on  a  pair  of  thick 
woolen  gloves  or  stockings  over  his  hands, 
thus  managing  them  without  the  least  danger. 

A  clean  hive  is  all  that  is  needed  for  a  swarm 
of  bees,  with  careful  and  humane  treatment. 

A  cluster  of  bees  should  never  be  shook  or 
jarred  any  more  than  merely  to  disengage  them 
from  the  lin-ib  or  place  where  they  are  collect- 
ed, nor  should  they  fall  any  great  distance, 
because  their  sacks  are  full  when  they  swarm, 
which  render  them  both  clumsy  and  harmless, 
and  harsh  treatment  makes  them  irritable  and 
unmanageable. 

I  know  of  no  rule  by  which  the  exact  day 
of  their  first  swarming  can  be  known  with  cer- 
tainty. The  apiarian  will  estimate  near  the 
time  by  the  number  of  bees  in  and  about  the 
hive,  as  it  will  become  very  much  crowded. 

The  day  of  second  swarming,  and  all  after 


18  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

that  during  the  same  season,  may  be  most  cer- 
tainly predicted  as  follows  :  Listen  near  the 
entrance  of  the  hive  in  the  evening,  v  If  a 
swarm  is  coming  forth  the  next  day,  the  Queen 
will  be  heard  giving  an  alarm  at  short  intervals. 
The  same  alarm  may  be  heard  the  next 
morning.  The  observer  will  generally  hear 
two  Queens  at  a  time  in  the  same  hive,  the 
one  much  louder  than  the  other.  The  one 
making  the  least  noise  is  yet  in  her  cell,  and 
in  her  minority.  The  sound  emitted  by  the 
Queens  is  peculiar,  differing  materially  from 
:hat  of  any  other  bee.  It  consists  of  a  number 
of  monotonous  notes  in  rapid  succession,  simi- 
lar to  those  emitted  by  the  mud-wasp  v/hen 
working  her  mortar  and  joining  it  to  her  cells, 
to  raise  miss-wasps.  If,  after  all,  the  weather  is 
unfavorable  to  their  swarming  two  or  three 
lays  while  in  this  peculiar  stage,  they  will  not 
be  likely  to  swarm  again  the  same  season. 

Two  reasons,  and  two  only,  can  be  assigned 
why  bees  ever  swarm.  The  first  is,  want  of 
room,  and  the  second,  to  avoid  the  battle  of 
the  Queens.     It  is  indeed  true  that  there  are 


EANAGING    BEES.  19 

exceptions.  Perhaps  one  in  a  hundred  swaiins 
may  come  forth  before'  their  hive  is  filled  with 
comb  ;  but  from  nearly  forty  years  experience 
in  their  cultivation,  I  never  saw  an  instance  of 
it,  where  the  hive  was  not  full  of  bees  at  their 
first  swarming.  When  bees  go  from  the  old 
stock  to  the  tree  without  alighting,  it  is  when 
they  lie  out  of  the  hive  before  swarming,  and 
the  embassy  are  sent  forth  before  the  swarm 
leaves  the  old  stock.  ,  When  the  first  swarm 
comes  forth,  eggs,  young  brood,  or  both,  are 
left  in  the  combs,  but  no  Queen  ;  for  the  old 
Queen  always  goes  forth  with  the  swarm,  and 
leaves  the  old  stock  entirely  destitute.  Not 
a  single  Queen,  in  any  stage  of  minority^ 
left  in  the  hive.  The  bees  very  soon  find 
themselves  destitute  of  the  means  of  propaga- 
ting their  species,  (for  the  Queen  is  the  only 
female  in  the  hive,)  and  immediately  set  them- 
selves to  work  in  constructing  stveral  ruyil 
cells,  (probably  to  be  more  sure  of  success.) 
take  a  grub  (larva)  from  the  cell  of  a  common 
worker,  plaoe  jt  in  the  new-made  royal  ceW, 
i'sed  it  on  royal  jelly,  and  in  a  few  days  they 


20  AN   EASr  METHOD  OF 

have  a  Queen.  Now  as  the  eggs  are  laid  in  about 
three  litters  per  week,  the  bees,  to  be  still  more 
sure  of  succeeding  intheirenterprize,  take  mag- 
gots, differing  in  age,  so  that  if  more  than  one 
Queen  is  hatched,  one  will  be  older  than  the 
others.  This  fact  accounts  for  hearing  more 
than  one  Queen  at  the  same  time,  because  one 
comes  out  a  perfect  fly,  while  the  other  is  a 
nymph,  or  little  younger,  and  has  not  yet  made 
her  escape  from  the  cell  where  she  was  raised ; 
and  yet  both  answer  the  alarm  of  the  other, 
the  youngest  more  feebly  than  the  elder. 

Bees  will  never  swarm  but  once  the  same 
season  unless  they  make  more  than  one  Queen, 
immediately  after  the  departure  of  the  first 
swarm  ;  and  not  then,  if  the  bees  permit  the 
oldest  Queen  to  come  in  contact  with  the  cell 
where  the  young  ones  are  growing.  Queens 
entertain  the  most  deadly  animosity  towards 
each  other,  and  will  commence  an  attack  up- 
on each  other  the  first  moment  opportunity 
offers.  The  old  Queen  will  even  tear  all  the 
cradles  or  cells  to  pieces  where  young  ones  are 
growing,  and  destroy  all  the  chrysalis  Queens 
in  the  hive. 


MANAGING    BEES.  21 

ll'tlic  weather  becomes  unfavorable  to  swarm- 
ing, the  next  day  after  the  alarm  of  the  Queen 
is  heard,  and  continues  so  for  several  days,  the 
oldest  Queen  may  come  in  contact  with  the 
others,  or  gain  access  to  their  cells ;  in  either 
case  the  life  of  one  of  them  is  destroyed  by  the 
other,  and  the  colony  will  not  be  likely  to  send 
forth  another  swarm  the  same  season.  If  the 
old  Queen  succeeds  in  taking  the  life  of  the 
younger,  or  vice  vcr^,  the  remaining  nymphs 
will  be  likely  to  share  the  same  fate  of  their 
martyred  sisters,  by  the  hand  of  the  reigning 
Queen,  who  considers  all  others  in  the  same 
hive  as  her  competitors. 

Second  swarms  would  be  as  large  ancrtlu- 
merous  as  any  others,  if  it  was  not  the  fact  that 
they  come  forth  to  avoid  the  battle  of  the 
Queens.  Bees  are  very  tenacious  to  preserve 
the  lives  of  their  sovereigns,  particularly  those 
of  their  own  raising ;  and  when  they  find  they 
have  more  than  one  in  the  hive,  they  will 
guard  each  so  strong  as  to  prevent,  if  possibh^, 
their  coming  within  reach  of  each  other.  'They 
bein'T  thus   strongly  guarded   to  prevent  the 


2*2  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

fight,  is  unquestionably  the  cause  of  their  giv- 
ing the  alarm,  as  describe'd  m  the  foregoing 
article.  The  knowledge  of  the  existence  of 
another  Queen  in  the  same  hive  inspires  them 
with  tlie  greatest  uneasiness  and  rage  ;  and 
W'hen  the  oldest  one  finds  herself  defeated  in 
gaining  access  to  her  competitor,  she  sallies 
forth  with  as  many  as  see  fit  to  follow  her, 
and  seeks  a  new  habitation. 

Bees  will  not  swarm  but  once  in  a  season, 
if  the  second  one  does  not  come  forth  within 
seventeen  days  from  the  departure  of  the  first, 
unless  they  swarm  for  want  of  room,  in  which 
case  no  Queen  will  be  heard  before  swarming. 

The  drawers  should  be  turned  over,  so  as 
to  let  the  bees  into  them  as  soon  as  they  have 
built  their  combs  nearly  to  the  bottom  of  the 
hive.  If  the  swarm  is  so  large  that  the  lower 
apartment  will  not  hold  all  of  them,  they  should 
be  let  into  one  or  both  of  the  drawers,  at  the 
time  of  hiving  ;  otherwise  they  may  go  off  for 
want  of  room.  Bees  should  be  let  into  the 
drawers  in  the  spring  as  soon  as  blossoms  are 
seen. 


MANAGING    BEES.  '23 


RULE   III. 

ON  VENTILATING  THE  HIVL. 

Graduate  tho  bottom  board  and  ventilator 
at  pleasure,  by  means  of  the  button  or  other- 
wise, so  as  to  give  them  more  or  less  air,  as 
the  circumstances  may  require. 

REMARK  S. 

Bees  require  more  air  in  order  to  enable 
them  to  endure  the  heat  of  summer  and  the 
severity  of  winter,  than  at  any  other  time. 
If  they  are  kept  out  in  the  cold,  they  need  as 
much  air  in  the  winter  as  in  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer. It  is  in  a  mild  temperature  only,  that 
it  is  safe  to  keep  them  from  the  pure  air.  If 
placed  below  frost  in  a  dry  sand-bank,  they 
seem  to  need  scarcely  more  than  is  contained 
m  their  hive  at  the  time  they  are  buried,  du- 
ring the  whole  winter.  If  kept  in  a  clean, 
dry  cellar,  the  mouth  so  contracted  as  to  keep 
out  mice,  gives  them  enough.  But  if  they 
they  are  kept  in  the  apiary,  there  should  be  a 
slow  current  of  air  constantly  pressing  in  at  the 
bottom  and  off  at  the  top  thro'  the  ventilator. 


•24  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

RULE  IV. 

ON  PREVENTING  ROBBERIES. 

At  the  moment  it  is  observed,  that  robbers 
are  within,  or  about  the  hive,  raise  the  bot- 
tom board  so  near  the  edge  of  the  hive  as  to 
prevent  the  ingress  or  egress  of  the  bees,  and 
stop  the  mouth  or  common  entrance  and  ven- 
tilator. At  the  same  time  take  care  that  a 
small  space  on  all  sides  of  the  hive  be  left 
open,  so  as  to  afibrd  them  all  the  air  they 
need.  Open  the  mouth  only  at  evening,  and 
close  early  in  the  morning,  before  the  robbers 
renew  their  attack. 

REMARKS. 

Bees  have  a  peculiar  propensity  to  rob  each 
other,  and  every  precaution  necessary  to  pre- 
vent it,  should  be  exercised  by  the  cultivator. 
Families  in  the  same  apiary  are  more  likely  to 
engage  in  this  unlawful  enterprize  than  any 
others,  probably  because  they  are  located  so 
near  each  other,  and  are  more  likely  to  learn 
their  comparative  strength.  I  never  could  dis- 
cover any  intimacy  between  colonies  of  the 
same  apiary,  except  when  they  stood  on  the 


MANAGING    BEES.  25 

same  bench  ;  and  then,  all  the  social  inter- 
coui-se  seems  to  subsist  between  the  nearest 
neighbors  only. 

Bees  are  not  likely  to  engage  in  warllire  and 
rob  each  other,  except  in  the  spring  and  fall, 
and  at  other  times  in  the  season,  when  food  is 
not  easily  obtained  from  blossoms. 

Bees  do  not  often  engage  in  robbery  in  the 
spring,  unless  it  is  in  such  hives  as  have  had 
their  combs  broken  by  frost  or  otherwise,  so 
as  to  cause  the  honey  to  drip  down  upon  the 
bottom  board.  Much  care  should  be  exerci- 
sed by  the  apiarian  to  see  that  rdl  such  hives 
are  properly  ventilated,  and  at  the  same  time 
closed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  en- 
trance of  robbers  in  the  day-time,  until  they 
have  mended  the  breach,  so  as  to  stop  "the 
honey  from  running. 

Clear  water  should  be  given  them  every 
day,  so  long  as  they  are  kept  in  confinement. 

1  have  known  many  good  stocks  to  be  lost 
n  the  spring,  by  being  robbed  ;  and  all  for 
want  of  care.  Bees  rob  each  other  when  they 
can  find  but  little  else  to  do ;  they  will  rob  at 


26  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

any  time  when  frost  has  destroyed  the  flow- 
ers, or  the  weather  is  so  cold  as  to  prevent 
their  collecting  honey  from  them .  Cold,  chil- 
ly weather  prevents  the  flowers  from  yielding 
honey  without  frost,  as  was  the  case  in  the 
summer  of  1835,  in  many  places. 

Bees  need  but  little  air  at  any  time  when 
they  rob,  and  yet  more  is  necessary  for  them 
when  confined  by  compulsory  means,  than 
otherwise.  When  deprived  of  their  liberty, 
they  soon  become  restless,  and  use  their  best 
efforts  to  make  their  way  out  of  the  hive ; — 
hence  the  importance  of  leaving  a  small  space 
all  around  the  bottom,  to  admit  air  and  to 
prevent  their  melting  down. 


RULE   V. 

ON  EaUALIZlNG  COLONIES. 

Hive  one  swarm  in  the  lower  apartment  of 
the  hive ;  collect  another  swarm  in  a  drawer, 
and  insert  the  same  in  the  chamber  of  the 
hive  containing  the  first.  Then,  if  the  swarms 
are  small,  collect  another  small  swarm  in  an- 
other drawer,  and  insert  the  same  in  the  cham- 


MANAGING    BEES.  Xt 

ber  of  the  hive  containing  the  first,  by  the  side 
of  the  second.  In  case  all  the  bees  from  ei- 
ther of  the  drawers,  amalgamate  and  go  below 
with  the  first  swarm,  and  leave  the  drawer 
empty,  then  it  may  be  removed,  and  another 
small  swarm  added  in  the  same  manner. 

REMARKS. 

It  is  of  prime  importance  to  every  bee  cul- 
tivator, that  all  his  colonies  be  made  as  nearly 
equal  in  numbers  and  strength,  as  possible. 
Every  experienced  bee-master  must  be  aware 
that  small  swarms  are  of  but  little  profit  to 
their  owner.  Generally,  in  a  few  days  after 
they  are  hived,  they  are  gone ; — no  one  can 
trace  their  steps  :  some  suppose  they  have 
fled  to  the  woods — others,  that  they  were  rob- 
bed :  but  after  all,  no  one  is  able  to  give  any 
satisfactory  account  of  them.  Some  pieces  of 
comb  only  are  left,  and  perhaps  myriads  of 
worms  and  millers  finish  off  the  whole.  Then 
the  moth  is  supposed  to  be  their  destroyer, 
but  the  true  history  of  the  case  is  generally 
this  :  The  bees  become  discouraged,  or  dis- 
heartened, for  want  of  numbers  to  constitute 
their  colony,    abandon    their  tenement,    and 


23  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

join  with  ther  nearest  neighbors,  leaving  their 
combs  to  the  merciless  depredations  of  the 
moth.  They  are  sometimes  robbed  by  their 
adjoining  hives,  and  then  the  moths  finish  or 
destroy  what  is  left. 

Second  swarms  are  generally  about  half  as 
large  as  the  first,  and  third  swarms  half  as 
large  as  second  ones. 

Now  if  second  swarms  are  doubled,  so  as  to 
make  them  equal  in  number  with  the  first,  the 
owner  avails  himself  of  the  advantage  of  a 
strong  colony,  which  will  not  be  likely  to  be- 
come disheartened  for  w^ant  of  numbers,  nor 
overcome  by  robbers  from  stronger  colonies. 

It  is  far  less  trouble,  and  less  expense,  for 
the  bee-owner  lo  equalize  his  colonies,  than  to 
prepare  hives  and  drawers  of  difi?erent  sizes 
to  fit  colonies. 

When  colonies  and  hives  are  made  as  near 
alike  as  possible,  many  evils  are  avoided,  and 
many  advantages  realized  :  every  hive  will  fit 
a  place  in  the  apiary — every  drawer  a  hive, 
and  every  bottom  board  and  slide  may  in  any 
i^ase  be  used  without  mistakes. 


MANAGING    BEKS.  -^9 

Swarms  may  be  doubled  at  any  time  before 
ihey  become  so  located  as  to  resume  their 
former  hostility,  which  will  not  be  discovered 
in  less  than  three  or  four  days.  Bees  are  pro- 
vided with  a  reservoir,  or  sack,  to  carry  their 
provision  in  ;  and  when  they  swarm,  they  go 
loaded  with  provision  suited  to  their  emergen- 
cy, which  takes  off  all  their  hostility  towards 
each  other ;  and  until  these  sacks  are  emptied, 
they  are  not  easily  vexed,  and  as  they  are 
compelled  to  build  combs  before  they  can 
empty  them,  their  contents  are  retained  seve- 
ral days.  I  have  doubled,  at  a  fortnight's  in- 
terval in  swarming,  with  entire  success.  The 
operation  should  be  performed  within  two  or 
three  days — at  the  farthest  four  days.  The 
sooner  it  is  done,  the  less  hazardous  is  the  ex- 
periment. 

As  a  general  rule,  second  swarms  only 
should  be  doubled.  Third  and  fourth  swarms 
should  always  have  their  Queen  taken  from 
them,  and  the  bees  returned  to  the  parent 
stock,  according  to  Ffule  10. 


30  AN   EASY  METHOD   OF 


RULE   VI. 


ON  REMOVING  HONEY. 

Insert  a  slide  under  the  drawer,  so  far  as  to 
cut  off  all  communication  between  the  lower 
apartm.ent  and  the  drawer.  Insert  another 
slide  between  the  first  slide  and  the  drawer. 
Now  draw  out  the  box  containing  the  honey, 
with  the  slide  that  is  next  to  it.  Set  the 
drawer  on  its  window  end,  a  little  distance 
from  the  apiary,  and  remove  the  slide.  Now 
supply  the  place  of  the  drawer,  thus  removed, 
with  an  empty  one,  and  draw  the  first  insert- 
ed slide. 

a  E  M  ARKS. 

Care  must  be  exercised  in  performing  this 
operation.  The  apertures  through  the  floor 
into  the  chamber  must  be  kept  closed  by  the 
slides  during  the  process,  so  as  to  keep  the 
bees  from  rushing  up  into  the  chamber  when 
the  box  is  drawn  out.  The  operator  must 
likewise  see  that  the  entrances  into  tlie  draw- 
er are  kept  covered  with  the  slide,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  any  of  the 
be€s,  unless  he  is  willing  to  be  stung  bv  them. 


MANAGING    BEES.  31 

If  the  bees  are  permitted  to  enter  the  cham- 
ber in  very  warm  weather,  they  will  be  likely 
to  hold  the  occupancy  of  it,  and  build  comb 
there,  which  will  change  the  hive  into  one  no 
better  than  an  old-fashioned  box. 

I  have  succeeded  best  in  removing  honey 
by  the  following  method,  to  wit : — Shut  the 
window-blinds  so  as  to  darken  one  of  the  rooms 
in  the  dwelling-house — raise  up  one  casement 
of  a  window — then  carry  the  drawer  and  place 
the  same  on  a  table,  or  stand,  by  the  v/indow, 
on  its  light  or  glass  end,  with  the  aperture? 
towards  the  light.  Now  remove  the  slide,  and 
step  immediately  back  into  the  dark  part  of 
the  room.  The  bees  will  soon  learn  their  true 
condition,  and  will  gradually  leave  the  draw- 
er, and  return  home  to  the  parent  stock  ;  thus 
leaving  the  drawer  and  its  contents  for  their 
owner  ;  not  however  until  they  have  sucked 
every  drop  of  running  honey,  if  there  should 
chance  to  be  any,  which  is  not  often  the  case, 
if  their  work  is  finished. 

There  are  two  cases  in    which   the    bees 
manifest  some  reluctance  in  leaving  the  draw- 


32  AN   EASY  METHOD   OF 

er.  The  first  is,  when  the  combs  are  in  an 
unfinished  state — some  of  the  cells  not  sealed 
over.  The  bees  manifest  a  great  desire  to  re- 
main there,  probably  to  make  their  stores  more 
secure  from  robbers,  by  affixing  caps  to  the 
uncovered  cells,  to  prevent  the  effluvia  of  run- 
ning honey,  which  is  always  the  greatest 
temptation  to  robbers. 

Bees  manifest  the  greatest  reluctance  in 
leaving  the  drawer,  when  young  brood  are. 
removed  in  it,  which  never  occurs,  except 
in  such  drawers  as  have  been  used  for  feed- 
ing in  the  winter  or  early  in  the  spring.  When 
the  Queen  has  deposited  eggs  in  all  the  emp- 
ty cells  below,  she  sometimes  enters  the  draw- 
ers; and  if  empty  cells  are  found,  she  depos- 
its eggs  there  also.  In  either  case,  it  is  bet- 
ter to  return  the  drawer,  which  will  be  made 
perfect  by  them  in  a  few  days. 

Special  care  is  necessary  in  storing  drawers 
of  honey,  when  removed  from  the  care  and 
protection  of  the  bees,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  honey  from  insects,  which  are  great  lovers 


MANAGING    BEES.  33 

of  itj   particularly  the   ant.     A  chest,  made 
perfectly  tight,  is  a  good  store-house. 

If  the  honey  in  the  drawers  is  to  be  preser- 
ved for  winter  use,  it  should  be  kept  in  a  room 
so  warm  as  not  to  freeze.  Frost  cracks  the 
combs,  and  the  honey  will  drip  as  soon  as  warm 
weather  commences.  Drawers  should  be 
packed  with  their  apertures  up,  for  keeping  or 
carrying  to  market.  All  apiarians  who  would 
make  the  most  profit  from  their  bees,  should 
remove  the  honey  as  soon  as  the  drawers  are 
filled,  and  supply  their  places  with  empty  ones. 
The  bees  will  commence  their  labors  in  an 
empty  box  that  has  been  filled,  sooner  than 
unv  others. 


RULE   VH. 

J  liJ.  METHOD  OF  COxMPELLlNG  bWAK.MS  TO 

MAKE  AND  KEEP  EXTRA  CiUEENS,  FOR 

THEIR  APIARIAN,  OK  OWNER. 

Take  a  drawer  containing  bees  and  brood 
comb,  and  place  the  same  in  the  chamber  of 
an  empty  hive ;  taking  care  to  stop  the  en- 
trance of  the  hive,  and  give  them  clean  water, 
daily,  three  or  four  days.     Then  unstop  the 


34  AN   EASY  METHOD  OF 

mouth  of  the  hive,  and  give  them  liberty.    The 
operator  must  observe  Rule  6  in  using  the  slides 

REMARKS. 

The  prosperity  of  every  colony  depends  en- 
tirely on  the  condition  of  the  Queen,  when  the 
season  is  favorable  to  them. 

Every  bee-master  should  understand  their 
nature  in  this  respect,  so  as  to  enable  him  to 
be  in  readiness  to  supply  them  with  another 
Queen  when  they  chance  to  become  destitute. 

The  discovery  of  the  fact,  that  bees  have 
power  to  change  the  nature  of  the  grub  (lar- 
va) of  a  worker  to  that  of  a  Queen,  is  attribu- 
ted to  Bonner.  But  neither  Bonner  nor  the 
indefatigable  Huber,  nor  any  other  writer,  to 
my  knowledge,  has  gone  so  far  in  the  illustra- 
tion of  this  discovery  as  to  render  it  practica- 
ble and  easy  for  common  people  to  avail  them- 
selves of  its  benefits. 

The  Vermont  hive  is  the  only  one,  to  my 
knowledge,  in  which  bees  can  be  compelled 
to  make  and  keep  extra  Queens  for  the  use 
of  their  owner,  without  extreme  difficulty,  as 


MANAGING    BEES.  35 

well  as  danger,  by  stings,  in  attempting  the 
experiment. 

The  idea  of  raising  her  royal  highness,  and 
elevating  and  establishing  her  upon  the  throne 
of  a  colony,  may,  by  some,  be  deemed  alto- 
gether visionary  and  futile ;  but  I  will  assure 
the  reader,  that  it  is  easier  done  than  can  be 
described.  I  have  both  raised  them,  and  sup- 
plied destitute  swarms  repeatedly. 

When  the  drawer  containing  bees  and  brood 
comb  is  removed,  the  bees  soon  find  them- 
selves destitute  of  a  female,  and  immediately 
set  themselves  to  work  in  constructing  one  or 
more  royal  cells.  When  completed,  which  is 
commonly  within  fortv-eight  hours,  they  re- 
move a  grub  (Jarva)JF9m  the  worker's  cell, 
place  the  same  in  the  new-made  Queen's  cell, 
feed  it  on  that  kind  of  food  which  is  designed 
only  for  Queens,  and  in  from  eight  to  sixteen 
days  they  have  a  perfect  Queen. 

As  soon  as  the  bees  have  safely  deposited 
the  grub  in  the  new-made  reyal  cell,  the  bees 
may  have  their  liberty.  Their  attachment 
to  their  young  brood,  and  their  fidelity  to  their 


36  AN   EASY  METHOD  OF 

Queen,  in  any  stage  of  its  minority,  is  such, 
that  they  will  never  leave  nor  forsake  them, 
and  will  continue  all  their  ordinary  labors, 
with  as  much  regularity  as  if  they  had  a  per- 
fect Queen. 

In  making  Queens  in  small  boxes  or  draw- 
ers, the  owner  will  not  be  troubled  by  their 
swarming  the  same  season  they  are  made. 
There  are  so  few  bees  in  the  drawer,  they  are 
unable  to  guard  the  nymph  Queens,  if  there 
are  any,  from  being  destroyed  by  the  oldest, 
or  the  one  which  escapes  from  her  cell  first. 

In  examining  the  drawer,  in  which  I  raised 
an  extra  Queen,  I  found  not  only  the  Queen, 
but  two  royal  cells,  one  of  which  was  in  per- 
fect shape  ;  the  other. was  mutilated,  probably 
by  the  Queen  which  came  out  first.  Now  when 
there  are  so  few  bees  to  guard  the  nymphs,  it 
y-ould  not  be  very  difficult  for  the  oldest  Queen 
to  gain  access  to  the  cells,  and  destroy  all  thfe 
minor  Queens  in  the  drawer. 

When  a  drawer  is  removed  to  an  empty 
hive,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  an  extra 
Queen,   it  should   be  placed  some  distance? 


MANAGING    BEES.  37 

from  the  apiary,  the  better  to  prevent  its  be- 
in<j^  robbed  by  other  swarms.  When  it  is  some 
(Hstance  from  other  colonies,  they  are  not  so 
likely  to  learn  its  comparative  strength.  There 
is  but  little  danger  however,  of  its  being  rob- 
bed, until  after  the  bees  are  out  of  danger  of 
losing  their  Queen,  which  generally  occurs  in 
the  swarming  season. 

The  Queen  is  sometimes  lost,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  young  brood  being  too  far  ad- 
vanced at  the  time  of  the  departure  of  the  old 
Queen  with  her  swarm.  If  the  grubs  had  ad- 
vanced very  near  the  dormant  or^clirysalis 
state,  before  the  bees  learnt  their  necessity  for 
a  Queen,  and  the  old  Queen  neglected  to 
leave  eggs,  wliich  is  sometimes  the  case,  then 
it  would  be  impossible  for  the  bees  to  change 
their  nature,  and  the  colony  would  be  lost, 
unless  supplied  with  another. 


38  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 


RULE   VIll. 

ON  SUPPLYING  SWARMS,  DESTITUTE  OF  A 
aUEEN,  WITH  ANOTHER. 

Take  the  drawer  from  the  hive,  which  was 
placed  there  according  to  Rule  7,  and  insert 
the  same  into  the  chamber  of  the  hive  to  be 
supplied ;  observing  Rule  6  in  the  use  of  the 
slides. 

REMARKS. 

Colonies  destitute  of  a  Queen  may  be  sup- 
plied with  another  the  moment  it  is  found  they 
have  none  ;  which  is  known  only  by  their 
actions. 

Bees,  when  deprived  of  their  female  sove- 
reign, cease  their  labors  ;  no  polen  or  bee- 
bread  is  seen  on  their  legs  ;  no  ambition  seems 
to  actuate  their  movements ;  no  dead  bees  are 
drawn  out ;  no  deformed  bees,  in  the  various 
st3(;es  of  their  minority,  are  extracted,  and 
dragged  out  of  their  cells,  and  dropped  down 
about  the  hivs,  as  is  usual  among  all  healthy 
and  prosperous  colonies* 

Colonies  that  have  lost  their  Queen,  when 
standing  on  the  bench  by  the  side  of  other 


MANAGING     BEES.  39 

swarms,  will  run  into  the  adjoining  hive  with- 
out the  least  resistance.  They  will  commence 
their  emigration  by  running  in  confused  plat- 
oons of  hundreds,  from  their  habitation  to  the 
next  adjoining  hive.  They  immediately  wheel 
about  and  run  home  again,  and  thus  continue, 
sometimes  for  several  days,  in  the  greatest 
confusion,  constantly  replenishing  their  neigh- 
bor's hive,  by  enlarging  her  colony,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  reducing  their  own,  until  there 
is  not  a  single  occupant  left ;  and  remarkable 
as  it  is,  they  leave  every  particle  of  their 
stores  for  their  owner  or  the  depredations  of 
the  moth. 

Colonies  lose  their  Queens  more  frequent- 
ly during  the  swarniing  season  than  any  other. 
In  the  summer  of  1830,  I  lost  three  good 
stocks  of  bees  in  consequence  of  their  losing 
their  Queens,  one  of  which  was  lost  soon  after 
the  first  swarming — the  two  others  not  many 
days  after  the  second  swarming — all  of  which 
manifested  similar  actions,  and  ended  in  the 
same  results,  which  will  be  more  particularly 

explained  in  remarks  on  Rule  10. 
4* 


40  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

The  Queen  is  sometimes  lost;  when  she 
goes  forth  with  a  swarm,  in  consequence  of 
being  too  feeble  to  fly  with  her  young  colo- 
ny ;  in  which  case  the  bees  return  to  their 
parent  stock  in  a  few  minutes.  In  fact  all  oc- 
currences of  this  kind  originate  in  the  inabili- 
ty of  the  Queen.  If  she  returns  to  the  old 
stock,  the  swarm  will  come  out  again  the  next 
day,  if  the  weather  is  favorable.  If  the  Queen 
is  too  feeble  to  return,  and  the  apiarian  neg- 
lects to  look  her  up,  and  restore  her  to  her 
colony  again,  (which  he  ought  to  do,)  the 
bees  will  not  swarm  again  until  they  have  made 
another,  or  are  supplied,  which  may  be  done 
immediately  by  giving  them  any  spare  Queen. 
I  have  done  it  with  €htir^  success,  and  never 
failed  in  the  experiment. 

The  Queen,  when  lost  in  swarming,  is  ea- 
sily found,  unless  the  wind  is  so  strong  as  to 
have  blown  her  a  considerable  distance.  A 
few  bees  are  always  found  with  her,  which 
probably  serve  as  her  aids,  and  greatly  assist 
the  apiarian  in  spying  her  out.  She  is  fre- 
quently found  near  the  ground,  on  a  spire  of 


MANAGING    BEES.  41 

grass,  the  fence,  or  any  place  most  convenient 
for  her  to  alight,  when  her  strength  fails  her. 
1  once  had  quite  a  search  for  her  majesty, 
without  much  apparent  success.  At  the  same 
time  there  were  flying  about  me  a  dozen  or 
more  common  workers.  At  last  her  royal 
highness  was  discovered,  concealed  from  my 
observation  in  a  fold  of  my  shirt  sleeve.  I  then 
returned  her  to  her  colony,  which  had  already 
found  their  way  home  to  the  parent  stock. 

The  Queen  may  be  taken  in  the  hand  with- 
out danger,  for  she  never  stings  by  design,  ex- 
cept when  conflicting  with  another  Queen  ; 
and  yet  she  has  a  stinger  at  least  one  third 
longer,  but  more  feeble  than  a  worker. 

The  Queen  is  known  by  her  peculiar  shape, 
size,  and  movements.  She  differs  but  little  in 
color  from  a  worker,  and  has  the  same  number 
of  lefrs  and  winf^s.  She  is  much  larger  than 
any  of  the  bees.  Her  abdomen  is  very  large 
and  perfectly  round,  and  is  shaped  more  like 
the  sugar-loaf,  which  makes  her  known  to  the 
observer  the  moment  she  is  seen.  Her  wings 
and  proboscis  are  short.     Her  movements  are 


42  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

Stately  and  majestic.  She  is  much  less  in 
size  after  the  season  for  breeding  is  over.  She 
is  easily  selected  from  among  a  swarm,  at  any 
season  of  the  year,  by  any  one  who  has  often 
seen  her. 


RULE   IX. 

ON  MULTIPLYING  COLONIES  TO  ANY  DESI- 
RABLE EXTENT,  WITHOUT  THEIR 
SWARMING. 

This  large  drawer,  No.  1,  should  always 
be  used  for  this  purpose.  Insert  slides,  as  in 
Rule  6,  and  remove  the  drawer  containing 
bees  and  brood-comb ;  place  the  same  In  the 
chamber  of  an  empty  hive ;  stop  the  entran- 
ces of  both  the  new  and  old  hives,  taking  care 
to  give  them  air,  as  in  Rule  4.  Give  clean 
water  daily,  three  or  four  days.  Now  let  the 
bees,  in  both  hives,  have^heir  liberty. 

REMARKS. 

This  operation  is  both  practicable  and  easy, 
and  is  of  prime  importance  to  all  cultivators, 
who  wish  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  hiving  them 
when  they  swarm  ;  and  yet  it  will  not  prevent 
swarming;  except  in  that  part  of  the  divided 


MANAGING    BEES.  43 

colony  which  contains  the  Queen  at  the  time 
of  their  separation.  The  other  part  being 
compelled  to  make  another  Queen,  (and  they 
generally  make  two  or  more)  will  be  likely  to 
swarm  to  avoid  their  battle,  as  explained  in 
remarks  on  Rule  2.  The  hive  containing  the 
old  Queen  may  swarm  for  want  of  room  ;  but, 
at  any  rate,  in  performing  the  operation,  it  has 
saved  the  trouble  of  hiving  one  swarm,  and 
prevented  ail  danger  of  their  flight  to  the 
woods. 

Multiplying  colonies  by  this  rule  is  a  per- 
fectly safe  method  of  managing  them,  admit- 
ting they  are  not  allowed  to  swarm  themselves 
so  low  as  to  leave  unoccupied  combs,  which 
will  be  explained  in  remarks  on  Rule  10. 


RULE   X. 

ON  PREVENTING  THK  DRPRKDATIONS  OF 
THE  MOTH. 

All  such  Stocks  as  are  infested  with  the  moth, 
will  manifest  it  as  soon  as  warm  weather  com- 
mences in  the  spring,  by  dropping  some  of  the 


44  AN  EASY  METHOD   OF 

vvorms  upon  the  bottom  board.  Let  the  api- 
arian clean  off  the  bottom  board  every  other 
morning  ;  at  the  same  time  strew  on  a  spoon- 
iull  or  two  of  fresh,  pulverized  salt. 

Immediately  after  a  second  swarm  has 
come  forth  from  a  hive,  the  same  season,  the 
old  stock  should  be  examined  ;  and  if  swarm- 
ing has  reduced  their  numbers  so  low  as  to 
leave  unoccupied  combs,  the  apiarian  should 
take  the  Queen  from  the  swarm,  and  let  them 
return  to  the  old  stock.  In  case  they  remain 
in  a  cluster,  hive  them  in  a  drawer,  and  return 
them  immediately. 

Third  and  fourth  swarms  should  always 
have  their  Queens  taken  from  them  and  the 
bees  returned  to  the  parent  stock. 

REMARKS. 

"  This  insect  (the  moth)  is  a  native  of  Eu- 
rope ;  but  has  found  its  way  into  this  country, 
and  naturalized  itself  here." — Thatcher. 

This  unwelcome  visitor  has  interested  the 
attention  and  called  forth  all  the  energies  of 
the  most  experienced  apiarians  of  our  coun- 
try, and  of  many  of  the  greatest  naturalists  in 
the  world.  Their  movements  have  been  ob- 
served and  scrutinized  by  the  most  learned — 
their  nature  has  been  studied  ;  various  exper- 


MANAGING    BEES.  "      45 

iments  have  been  tried  to  prevent  their  dep- 
redations ;  but  after  al!,  the  monster  in  gaudy 
hue  marches  onward,  committing  the  greatest 
havoc  and  devastation,  with  but  little  molesta- 
tion. I  have  lost  my  wliole  stock  at  least  four 
times  since  180S,  as  I  supposed  by  the  moth. 
I  tried  all  the  experiments  recommended  in 
this  and  other  countries,  that  came  to  my 
knowledge  ;  but  after  all,  I  could  not  prevent 
their  ravages. 

In  1830,  I  constructed  a  hive  (which  has 
since  been  patented)  which  1  supposed  would 
afford  all  the  facilities  for  manas^ins  bees  in 
every  manner  that  their  nature  would  admit 
of,  and  at  the  same  time  render  their  cultiva- 
tion most  profitable  to  their  owner.  By  con- 
structing windows  of  glass,  on  every  side  of 
the  hive,  nearly  the  size  of  its  sides,  and  dark- 
ening them  by  closing  doors  on  the  outside  of 
the  windows,  which  may  be  opened  at  pleas- 
ure, I  have  been  able  to  discover  many  impor- 
tant facts,  both  in  relation  to  the  nature  and 
economy  of  the  bee,  and  its  enemy  the  moth  ; 


46  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

but,  probably,  much  yet  remains  to  be  learn- 
ed concerning  both. 

The  moth,  when  first  discovered  by  the 
common  observer,  is  a  white  worm  or  mag- 
got, with  a  redish  crusted  head,  and  varies  in 
size  according  to  its  livincr.  Those  which 
have  full  and  unmolested  access  to  the  con- 
tents of  a  hive,  will  frequently  grow  as  large 
as  a  turkey-quill,  and  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length.  Others  are  scarcely  an  inch  in  length 
when  full  grown.  They  have  sixteen  short 
legs,  and  taper  each  way  from  the  centre  of 
their  bodies  to  their  head  and  exterior  or  ab- 
domen. 

The  worms,  like  the  silk-worm,  wind  them- 
selves into  a  cocoon,  and  pass  the  dormant 
(chrysalis)  state  of  their  existence,  and  in  a 
few  days  come  out  of  their  silken  cases  per- 
fect winged  insects  or  millers,  an^  are  soon 
ready  to  deposit  their  eggs,  from  which  anoth- 
er crop  will  be  raised. 

The  miller,  or  perfect  moth,  is  of  a  grayish 
color,  from  three-fourths  of  an  inch  to  an  inch 
in  length.     They  usually  lie  perf.'cily  still  in 


MANAGING    BEES.  47 

the  day  lime,  with  their  head  downwards,  lurk- 
ing in  and  about  the  apiary.  They  enter  the 
hive  in  the  night,  and  deposit  their  eggs  in 
such  places  as  are  uncovered,  of  course  un- 
guarded by  the  bees.  These  eggs  hatch  in  a 
short  time,  varying  according  to  circumstan- 
ces, probably  from  two  or  three  days  to  four 
or  five  months.  At  an  early  stage  of  their 
existence,  while  yet  a  small  worm,  they  spin 
a  web,  and  construct  a  silken  shroud,  or  for- 
tress, in  which  they  envelope  themselves,  and 
form  a  sort  of  path,  or  gallery,  as  they  pass 
onward  in  their  n)arch  ;  at  the  same  time  be- 
ing perfectly  secure  from  the  bees,  in  their 
silken  case,  which  they  widen  as  they  grow 
4arger,  with  an  opening  in  their  front  only, 
near  their  head,  they  commit  the  greatest 
havoc  and  devastation  on  the  eggs,young  bees 
and  all,  that  come  in  t^eir  way  as  they  pass. 

When  the  moth  has  arrived  to  his  full  state 
of  maturity,  he  makes  preparation  to  change 
to  a  miller,  by  winding  into  a  cocoon,  as  has 
been  already  explained.  The  miller  is  sur- 
prisingly quick  in  all  its  movements,  exceed- 


48  AN  EASY  3IETH0D  OF 

ing  by  far  the  agility  of  th6  quickest  bee,  ei- 
ther in  flight  or  on  its  legs.  Hence  the  enemy 
becomes  so  formidable  that  the  bees  are  easily 
overcome  and  soon  fall  a  sure  prey  to  him. 

Now,  in  order  to  remedy  the  evils  of  the 
moths,  and  prevent  their  ravages,  and  at  the 
same  time  aid  the  bees  in  their  prosperity,  and 
make  them  profitable  to  their  owner,  I  found 
it  necessary  to  use  a  hive  differing  materially 
from  the  old  box,  and  commenced  operations 
in  the  one  already  referred  to,  (called  the 
Vermont  hive,)  in  a  course  of  experiments 
which  have  produced  results  perfectly  satis^ 
factory.  From  six  years  experience  in  its  use, 
I  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  bees  may  be 
manao-ed  to  the  best  advantage,  and  without 
ever  being  materially  injured  by  the  moths. 

A  bee-hive  should  be  made  in  a  perfect 
workmanlike  manner,  so  as  to  have  no  open 
joints  ;  the  boards  should  be  free  from  shakes 
and  cracks,  because  the  bees  will  make  their 
tenement  perfectly  tight,  so  as  to  exclude 
light  and  air,  by  plastering  up  all  such  places 
as  are  left  open  by  the  workman,  with  a  kind 


MANAGING    BEES.  49 

of  mortar,  or  glue,  of  their  own  make,  which 
is  neither  honey  nor  wax,  but  is  very  congen- 
ial to  the  growth  of  worms  in  the  first  stages 
of  their  larva  state,  and  being  secured  from  the 
bees  by  the  timber,  in  a  short  time  they  are 
able  to  defend  themselves  by  a  silken  shroud. 

Now  the  miller  enters  the  hive  and  makes 
an  incision  into  the  bee-glue,  or  cement,  with 
her  stinfT,  and  leaves  her  e^'^s.  These  e<i"3 
hatch  there,  and  the  brood  subsist  on  the  glue 
until  they  have  arrived  so  far  toward  maturity 
as  to  enable  them  to  encase  themselves  in  a 
silken  shroud  ;  and  then  they  move  onward. 

Now  unless  the  bees  chance  to  catch  him 
by  the  collar,  or  nape  of  his  neck,  while  feed- 
ing, and  drag  him  out  of  his  place  of  conceal- 
ment, they  will  be  compelled  to  cut  away  the 
combs  all  around  his  silken  path,  or  gallery, 
and  drag  out  the  worm  and  his  fortress  all  to- 
gether. At  the  same  time,  the  bees  axe  com- 
pelled to  cut  away  the  combs  so  far  as  to  de- 
stroy many  of  their  young  brood  in  making 
room  to  remove  the  annoyance.  I  have  known 
them  to  cut  away  their  combs  from  four  to 


50  AN   EASY  METHOD  OF 

eight  or  ten  inches  to  remove  this  silken  shroud, 
and  have  known  them  to  cut  and  drag  out 
their  only  remaining  Queen  before  she  was 
transformed  to  the  perfect  fly,  which  occasion- 
ed the  entire  loss  of  the  whole  colony. 

Repeated  experiments  have  demonstrated 
the  fact,  that  placing  bees  on  the  ground,  or 
high  in  the  air,  is  no  security  against  the 
moths.  I  have  lost  some  of  my  best  stocks 
by  placing  them  on  the  ground,  when  those 
on  the  bench  were  not  injured  by  them.  I 
have  made  a  groove  in  the  bottom  board, 
much  wider  than  the  thickness  of  the  boards 
to  the  hive,  and  filled  the  same  with  loam  :  I 
then  placed  the  hive  on  the  same,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  prevent  any  crack  or  vacancy 
for  the  worms ;  and  yet  in  raising  the  hive 
four  weeks  afterwards,  I  found  them  appa- 
rently full  grown  all  around  the  hive  in  the 
dirt.  I  have  found  them  very  plenty  in  a 
tree  ninety  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  best  method,  in  common  practice,  to 
prevent  the  depredations  of  the  moth,  is,  to 
suspend  the  bottom  board  so  far  below  the  low- 


MANAGING    BEES.  51 

er  edge  of  the  hive  as  to  give  the  bees  free 
entrance  and  egress  all  around  the  same  du- 
ring the  moth  season,  or  to  raise  the  common 
hive,  by  placing  under  it  little  blocks  at  each 
corner,  which  produces  nearly  the  same  ef- 
fect. But  1  know  of  but  one  rule,  which  is 
an  infallible  one,  to  prevent  their  depredations, 
and  that  is  this :  keep  the  combs  well  guard- 
ed by  bees.     See  Rule  10. 

Large  hives,  that  never  swarm,  are  never 
destroyed  by  the  moth,  unless  they  lose  their 
Queen,  melt  down,  or  meet  with  some  casu- 
alty, out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  managing 
them.  They  are  not  often  in  the  least  an- 
noyed by  them,  unless  there  are  bad  joints, 
cracks,  or  shakes,  so  as  to  afford  some  lurking 
places  for  the  worms.  The  reason  for  their 
prosperous  condjfon  is  obvious.  The  stock 
of  bees  are  so  numerous  that  their  combs  are 
all  kept  well  guarded  during  the  moth  season, 
so  that  no  miller  can  enter  and  deposit  her  eggs. 

Hives  made  so  small  as  to  swarm,  are  lia- 
ble to  reduce  their  colonies  so  smaJl  as  to 
leave  combs  unguarded,  especially  when  they 


52  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

swarm  three  or  four  times  the  same  season. 
All  swarms,  after  the  first,  sally  forth  to  avoid 
the  battle  of  the  Queens  ;  constantly  making 
a  greater  draft,  in  proportion  to  the  number 
left,  until  the  combs  are  partly  exposed,  which 
dves  the  miller  free  access  to  their  edo-es. — 
The  seeds  of  rapine  and  plunder  are  thus 
quickly  sown,  and  soon  vegetate,  and  fortify 
themselves  by  their  silken  fortress,  before  the 
bees  are  aware  that  their  frontiers  are  in- 
vaded. While  the  moths  are  thus  ensjao^ed 
in  establishing  their  posts  on  the  frontiers  of 
the  bees,  the  latter  are  constantly  and  indefa- 
tigably  engaged  in  providing  themselves  with 
another  Queen,  to  supply  the  place  of  the  old 
one,  which  has  departed  with  a  swarm,  and 
raising  young  bees  to  replenish  their  reduced 
colony.  Now  as  the  motl^  have  got  posses- 
sion of  the  ground  on  their  frontiers,  it  re- 
quires a  tremendous  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
bees  to  save  their  little  colony  from  a  com- 
plete overthrow. 

If  late,  or  second  and  third  swarms  are  al- 
ways returned  immediately,  according  to  the 


MANAGING    BEES.  53 

rule,  the  combs  are  kept  so  guarded  that  the 
moths  are  compelled  to  keep  their  distance, 
or  be  stung  to  death  before  they  can  accom- 
plish their  purposes. 

Hives  made  so  large  as  not  to  swarm  may 
lose  their  Queen,  and  then  they  will  abandon 
their  habitation  and  emigrate  into  the  adjoin- 
ing hive,  leaving  all  their  stores  to  their  own- 
er, which,  unless  immediately  taken  care  of 
the  moths  will  not  fail  to  destroy. 

The  moths  are  often  complained  of  wlicn 
they  are  not  guilty.  Hives  are  frequently  aban- 
doned by  their  occupants,  in  consequence  of 
the  loss  of  their  Queen,  unnoticed  by  any  ob- 
server, and  before  any  thing  is  known  of  their 
fate,  the  hive  is  destitute  of  bees,  and  filled 
with  rnoths. 

In  the  sunmier  of  1834,  one  of  my  neigh- 
bors had  a  very  large  hive  that  never  swarm- 
ed, which  lost  their  Queen  ;  and  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days  the  bees  entirely  vacated  their 
tenement,  and  emigrated  into  an  adjoining 
hive,  leaving  the  whole  of  their  stores,  which 

amounted  to  215  lbs.  of  honev  in  the  comb. 
5 


54  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

No  young  bees  or  moths  were  discovered  in 
the  hive.  Instances  of  this  kind  frequently 
occur,  and  the  true  cause  is  unknown,  from 
inattention. 

The  Queen  may  be  superanuated,  or  may 
become  diseased  in  the  breeding  season,  so  as 
to  render  ber  unfruitful ;  or  she  may  die  of 
old  age.  In  either  case,  the  colony  will  be 
lost,  unless  supplied  with  another  Queen,  as 
explained  in  remarks  on  Rule  8;  for  when  the 
Queen  becomes  unfruitful  by  either  of  the  fore- 
going causes,  the  bees  are  not  apprized  of  the 
loss  which  will  in  future  be  sustained  by  them, 
until  after  the  means  of  repairing  the  same  are 
gone  beyond  their  reach.  All  the  grubs  may 
have  passed  the  various  stages  of  their  trans- 
formation, or  at  least  advanced  so  far  towards 
the  perfect  insect,  that  their  nature  cannot  be 
changed  to  a  Queen. 

The  Queen  is  much  more  tenacious  of  life 
than  any  other  bee,  and  may  live  to  a  great 
age.  But  one  Queen  exists  in  the  same  hive 
any  great  length  of  time.  When  there  are 
more  than  one,  the  peculiar  sound  of  each,  as 


MANAGING    BEES.  55 

explained  in  rennarks  on  Rule  2,  is  heard  by 
the  other,  wljich  always  results  in  a  battle  be- 
tween them,  or  the  issue  of  a  swarm  in  the 
course  of  a  day  or  two. 

Bees,  when  placed  in  a  dark  room  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  house,  or  some  out-house, 
are  easily  cultivated  a  short  time  with  little 
trouble,  and  are  sometimes  made  profitable  to 
their  owner ;  but  as  they  are  liable  to  some 
of  the  same  casualties  as  those  kept  in  swarm- 
ing hives,  they  cannot  be  as  profitable. 

Large  colonies  never  increase  their  stock  in 
proportion  to  the  swarming  colonies.  There  is 
but  one  female  in  a  large  colony,  and  they  can 
do  but  little  more  in  raising  young  bees  than 
to  keep  their  stock  good  by  replenishing  them 
as  fast  as  they  die  off  or  are  destroyed  by  the 
birds,  reptiles  and  insects,  which  are  great  ad- 
mirers of  them,  and  sometimes  swallow  them 
by  dozens.  Now  if  it  requires  five  swarming 
colonies  to  be  equal  in  number  to  the  one  first 
described,  it  is  not  diflicult  to  imagine  that  five 
times  as  many  bees  may  be  raised  by  the 
5* 


AN   EASy  METHOD  OF 

swarming  colonies  :  for  one  Queen  will  prob- 
ably lay  as  many  eggs  as  another. 

The  swarming  hives  are  no  more  liable  to 
be  destroyed  by  the  moth  during  the  swarm- 
ing season,  than  others,  if  the  hives  are  kept 
well  replenished  with  bees  according  to  Rule 
10. 


RULE   XL 

ON  FEEDING  BEES. 

If  it  is  found  that  a  swarm  need  feeding, 
hitch  on  the  feeder,  w^ell  stored  with  good 
honey,  while  the  weather  is  warm  in  October. 

The  apiarian  should  use  the  same  precau- 
tion in  feeding,  as  directed  in  Rule  4,  to  pre- 
vent robberies. 

REMARKS. 

The  best  time  to  feed  is  in  the  fall,  before 
cold  weather  commences.  All  hives  should 
be  weighed,  and  the  weight  marked  on  the 
hive  before  bees  are  hived  in  them.  Then, 
by  weighing  a  stock  as  soon  as  frost  has  killed 
the  blossoms  in  the  fall,  the  apiarian  will  be 
able  to  form,  a  just  estimate  of   their  nece^si- 


MANAGING    BEES.  O  i 

ties.  When  bees  are  fed  in  the  fall,  they  will 
carry  up  and  deposit  their  food  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  will  be  convenient  for  them  in  the  winter. 

If  feedini^  is  neglected  until  cold  weather  the 
bees  must  be  removed  to  a  warm  room,  or  dry 
cellar,  and  then  they  will  carry  up  their  food, 
generally,  no  faster  than  they  consume  it. 

A  feeder  sliould  be  made  like  a  box  with 
five  sides  closed,  leaving  a  part  of  the  sixth 
side  open,  to  admit  the  bees  from  their  com- 
mon entrance  with  its  floot  level,  when  hitch- 
ed on  the  front  of  the  hive.  It  should  be  of 
sufficient  depth  to  lay  in  broad  comb,  filled 
with  honey.  If  strained  honey  without  combs 
is  used  for  feeding,  a  float,  perforated  with  ma- 
ny holes,  should  be  laid  over  the  whole  of  the 
honey  in  the  box,  or  feeder,  so  as  to  prevent 
any  of  the  bees  from  drowning ;  and  at  the 
same  time,  this  float  should  be  so  thin  as  to 
enable  them  to  reach  the  honey.  It  should  be 
made  so  small  that  it  will  settle  down  as  fast 
as  the  honey  is  removed  by  the  bees.  As  soon 
as  warm  weather  commences  in  the  spring, 
the  feeder  may  be  used.     Small  drawers  can- 


58  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

not  be  depended  on  as  feeders,  except  in  the 
spring  and  summer,  unless  they  are  kept  so 
warm  that  the  vapor  of  the  bees  will  not  freeze 
in  them.  It  would  be  extremely  hazardous  for 
the  bees  to  enter  a  frosty  drawer.  They 
will  sooner  starve  than  attempt  the  experiment. 
Drawers  may  be  used  without  danger  from 
robbers,  but  when  the  feeder  is  used,  robbers 
must  be  guarded  against  as  directed  in  Rule  4. 

Care  should  be  exercised,  in  fall-feeding, 
to  supply  them  with  good  honey,  otherwise 
the  colony  may  be  lost  before  spring  by  dis- 
ease. Poor  honey  may  be  given^them  in  the 
spring,  at  the  time  when  they  can  obtain  and 
provide  themselves  with  medicine,  which  they 
only  best  understand. 

Sugar  dissolved,  or  molasses,  may  be  used 
in  the  spring  to  some  advantage,  but  ought 
not  to  be  substituted  for  honey,  when  it  can 
be  obtained. 

Bees  sometimes  die  of  starvation,  with  plen- 
ty of  honey  in  the  hive  at  the  same  time.  In 
cold  weather  they  crowd  together  in  a  small 
compass  in  order  to  keep  warm ;   and  then 


MANAGING    BEES.  59 

their  breath  and  vapor  collect  in  frost,  in  all 
parts  of  the  hive,  except  in  the  region  they 
occupy.  Now,  unless  the  weather  moderates, 
so  as  to  thaw  the  ice,  the  bees  will  be  com- 
pelled to  remain  where  they  are  located  until 
their  stores  are  all  consumed  that  are  within 
their  reach.  One  winter  we  had  cold  weath- 
er ninety-four  days  in  succession,  during 
which  time  the  bees  could  not  move  from  one 
part  of  the  hive  to  another.  1  examined  all 
my  hives  on  the  eighty-third  day,  and  on  the 
ninetieth  day  I  found  four  swarms  dead.  I 
immediately  examined  for  the  cause,  which 
was  as  already  stated.  1  then  carried  all  my 
hives  into  a  warm  room  and  thawed  them,  so 
that  the  bees  could  move.  Some  hives  that 
1  supposed  were  dead,  revived  ;  some  few 
swarms  I  found  nearly  destitute  of  stores, 
which  I  carried  into  the  cellar,  turned  them 
bottom  up,  cut  out  a  few  of  the  combs,  so  as 
to  make  room  to  lay  in  combs  filled  with  hon- 
ey, which  served  as  good  feeders. 


^  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 


RULE   XII. 

ON  WINTERING  BEES. 

On  the  near  approach  of  winter,  as  soon  as 
the  bees  have  receded  from  the  drawers  and 
gone  below,  insert  a  shde,  take  out  the  draw- 
ers, and  supply  their  places  with  empty  ones, 
bottom  up.  Suspend  the  bottom  board  at 
least  one  eighth  of  an  inch  below  the  lower 
edge  of  the  hive,  and  open  the  ventilator. — 
Clean  off  the  bottom  board  as  often  as  the 
weather  changes  from  cold  to  warm.  Close 
no  doors  upon  them,  unless  they  are  kept  in  a 
spacious  room,  and  in  such  a  place  that  the 
breath  and  steam  of  the  bees  will  not  freeze. 

REMARKS. 

Various  methods  have  been  practised  by 
different  individuals.  Some  have  buried  them 
in  the  ground,  others  kept  them  in  the  cellar, 
chamber,  &ic.  One  course  only  will  be  ob- 
served in  this  place. 


RULE   XIIL 

ON  TRANSFERRING  SWARMS. 

This  operation  should  never  be  effected  by 
compulsion. 


MANAGING    BEES. 


61 


First  Method.  Insert  drawer  No.  I  into 
the  chamber  of  the  hive,  to  be  transferred  as 
early  as  the  first  of  May.  If  the  bees  fill  the 
drawer,  they  will  recede  from  the  lower  apart- 
ment and  winter  in  the  drawer.  As  early  in 
the  spring  as  the  bees  carry  in  bread  plentifully 
on  their  legs,  remove  the  drawer,  which  will 
contain  the  principal  part  of  the  bees,  to  an  emp- 
ty hive.  IN'ow  remove  the  old  hive  a  few  feet 
in  front,  and  place  the  new  one  containing  the 
drawer  where  the  old  one  stood.  Now  turn 
the  old  hive  bottom  up.  If  there  are  any  bees 
left  in  the  old  hive,  they  will  soon  return  and 
take  possession  of  their  new  habitation. 

Second  Method.  Take  drawer  No.  1, 
well  filled  by  any  hive  the  same  season,  insert 
the  same  into  the  chamber  of  the  hive,  to  be 
transferred  in  September,  (August  would  be 
better.)  If  the  bees  need  transferring,  they 
will  repair  to  the  drawer  and  make  the  same 
iheir  winter  quarters.  1  hen  proceed  in  the 
spring  as  directed  in  the  first  method. 

R  K  M  A  R  K  s. 
This  management  should  excite  a  deep  in- 
terest in  every  cultivator,  both  in  a  temporal  ji'ted 
moral  point  of  view.     Temporal,  because  t^ie 
lives  of  all  the  bees  are  preserved  ;  moral,  be- 


62  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

cause  we  are  accountable  to  God  for  all  our 
acts.  We  are  not  to  be  justified  in  taking  the 
lives  of  animals  or  insects,  which  are  but  lent 
blessings,  unless  some  benefit  to  the  owner  can 
be  derived  from  their  death,  which  will  out- 
weigh the  evils  resulting  from  such  a  sacrifice. 
Duty  compels  me  to  protest  in  the  strongest 
terms  and  feelings,  against  the  inhuman  prac- 
tice of  taking  the  lives  of  the  most  industrious 
and  comforting  insects  to  the  wants  of  the  hu- 
man family  by  fire  and  brimstone. 

When  bees  have  occupied  one  tenement 
for  several  years,  the  combs  become  thick  and 
filthy,  by  being  filled  up  with  old  bread  and 
cocoons,  made  by  the  young  bees  when  trans- 
formed from  a  larva  to  the  perfect  fly. 

Bees  always  wind  themselves  in  their  cells, 
in  a  silken  cocoon,  or  shroud,  to  pass  their 
torpid  and  defenceless  (chrysalis)  state. — 
These  cocoons  are  very  thin,  and  are  never 
removed  by  the  bees.    They  are  always  clean- 

•mmediately  after  the  escape  of  the  young 
oees,  axid  others  are  raised  in  the  same  cells. 
Thus  a  number  of  bees  are  raised,   which 


MANAGING    BEES.  63 

leaves  an  additional  cocoon  as  often  as  the 
transformation  of  one  succeeds  thai  of  another, 
which  often  occurs  in  the  course  of  the  season. 
Now  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  cells  be- 
conne  so  contracted,  in  consequence  of  being 
thus  filled  up,  that  the  bees  come  forth  but 
mere  dwarfs  and  sometimes  cease  to  swarm. 
Combs  are  rendered  useless  by  being  filled  up 
with  old  bread,  which  is  never  used  except 
ibr  feeding  young  bees.  A  greater  quantity 
of  this  bread  is  stored  up  yearly  than  is  used 
by  them,  and  in  a  few  years  they  have  but 
little  room  to  perform  their  ordinary  labors. — 
Hence  the  necessity  of  transferring  them,  or 
the  inhuman  sentence  of  death  must  be  passed 
upon  them,  not  by  being  hung  by  the  neck 
until  they  are  dead,  but  by  being  tortured  to 
death  by  fire  and  brimstone. 

It  is  obvious  to  every  cultivator  that  old 
stocks  should  be  transferred.  I  have  repeat- 
edly transferred  them  in  the  most  approved 
manner,  by  means  of  an  apparatus  constructed 
for  that  purpose ;  but  the  operation  always  re- 
sulted in  the  loss  of  the  colony  afterwards,  or 


64  AN   EAST  METHOD  OF 

a  swarm  which  would  have  come  from  them. 
When  it  is  necessary  to  transfer  a  swarm, 
insert  drawer  No.  1  into  their  chamber  in  the 
spring,  say  the  first  of  May.  If  they  fill  the 
draw^er,  let  it  remain  there  ;  if  they  need  to  be 
changed  to  a  new  hive,  they  will  recede  from 
the  lower  apartment  and  make  the  drawer 
their  winter  quarters,  which  should  remain  un- 
til warm  weather  has  so  far  advanced  as  to  af- 
ford them  bread.  Then  they  may  be  remo- 
ved to  an  empty  hive,  as  directed  in  the  Rule. 
Now  the  drawer  contains  no  bread,  and  should 
remain  in  the  old  stock  until  the  bees  can  pro- 
vide themselves  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
that  article  to  feed  their  young  bees  with  ;  for 
bread  is  not  collected  early  enough  and  in  suf- 
ficient quantities  to  feed  their  young  as  much 
as  nature  requires.  If  the  bees  fail  in  filling 
the  drawer,  one  should  be  used  that  is  filled 
by  another  swarm. 


MANAGING    BEES.  65 


GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

The  reader  might  have  expected  many 
things  demonstrated  in  this  work,  which  are 
omitted  hy  design. 

The  structure  of  the  worker  is  loo  well 
understood  by  every  owner  of  bees  to  need  a 
particular  description.  So  also  of  the  drone  ; 
and  the  Queen  has  already  been  sufficiently 
described  to  enable  any  one  to  select  her  out 
from  among  her  subjects.  If  any  further  de- 
scription is  desired,  the  observer  can  easily 
satisfy  himself  by  the  use  of  a  microscope. — 
Every  swarm  of  bees  is  composed  of  three 
classes  or  sorts,  to  wit :  one  Queen  or  female, 
drones  or  males,  and  neuters  or  workers.  The 
Queen  is  the  only  female  in  the  hive,  and  lays 
all  the  eggs  from  which  all  the  young  bees 
are  raised  to  replenish  their  colony.  She  pos- 
sesses no  authority  over  them,  other  than  that 
of  influence,  which  is  derived  from  the  fact 
that  she  is  the  mother  of  all  the  bees  ;  and 
they,  being  endowed  with  knowledge  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  wholly  dependent  on  her  to 
propagate  their  species,  treat  her  with  the 
greatest  kindness,  tenderness  and  reverence, 


66  AN  EASY  METHOD  OF 

and  manifest  at  all  times  the  most  sincere  at- 
tachment to  her  by  feeding  and  guarding  her 
from  all  danger. 

The  government  of  a  hive  is  nearer  repub- 
lican than  any  other,  because  it  is  administer- 
ed in  exact  accordance  with  their  nature.  It 
is  their  peculiar  natural  instinct,  which  prompts 
them  in  all  their  actions.  The  Queen  has  no 
more  to  do  with  the  government  ot  the  hive 
than  the  other  bees,  unless  influence  may  be 
called  government.  If  she  finds  empty  cells 
in  the  hive,  during  the  breeding  season,  she 
will  deposit  eggs  there,  because  it  is  her  na- 
ture ta  do  so  ;  and  the  nature  of  the  workers 
prompts  them  so  take  care  and  nurse  all  the 
young  larvcR,  labor  and  collect  food  for  their 
sustenance,  guard  and  protect  their  habitations, 
and  do  and  perform  all  things,  in  due  obedi- 
ence, not  to  the  commands  of  the  Queen,  but 
to  their  own  peculiar  instinct. 

The  drone  is  probably  the  male  bee,  not- 
withstanding the  sexual  union  has  never  been 
witnessed  by  any  man  ;  yet  so  many  experi- 
ments have  been  tried,  and  observations 
made,  that  but  little  doubt  can  be  entertained 
of  its  truth.  That  the  sexual  intercourse 
takes  place  high  in  the  air,  is  highly  proba- 
ble from  the  fact,  that  other  insects  of  the 
fly  tribe  do  copulate  in  the  air,  when  on  the 


MANAGING    BEES. 


6", 


wing,  as  1  have  repeatedly  seen.  That  the 
drone  is  the  male  bee,  is  probable  from  the 
fact  that  the  drones  are  not  all  killed  at  once  ; 
but  at  least  one  in  each  hive  is  permitted 
to  live  several  months  after  the  general  mas- 
sacre. 

1  examined  four  swarms,  whose  colonies 
were  strong  and  numerous,  three  months 
after  the  general  massacre  of  the  drones,  and 
in  three  hives  1  found  one  drone  each  ;  the 
other  was  probably  overlooked,  as  the  bees 
were  thrown  into  the  fire  as  fast  as  they  were 
examined.  But  there  are  many  mysterious 
things  concerning  them,  and  much  might  be 
written  to  little  purpose  ;  and  as  it  is  design- 
ed to  go  no  further  in  illustrations  than  is  ne- 
cessary to  aid  the  apiarian  in  good  manage- 
ment, many  little  speculations  have  been  en- 
tirely omitted  in  the  work,  and  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  writings  of  Thatcher,  Bon- 
ner, and  Huber,  who  are  the  most  volumi- 
nous and  extensive  writers  on  bees  within  my 
knowledge. 

Bees  are  creatures  of  habit,  and  the  exer- 
cise of  caution  in  managing  them  is  required. 
A  stock  of  bees  should  be  placed  where  they 
are  to  stand  through  the  season  before  they 
form  habits  of  location,  which  will  take  place 
soon  after  they  commence  their  labors  in  the 


l>8 


AN   EASY  METHOD   OF 


spring.  They  learn  their  home  by  the  ob- 
jects surrounding  them  in  the  immediate  vi- 
cinity of  the  hive.  Moving  them,  (unless 
they  are  carried  beyond  their  knowledge,) 
is  often  fatal  to  them.  The  old  bees  forget 
their  new  location,  and  on  their  return,  when 
collecting  stores,  they  haze  about  where  they 
formerly  stood,  and  perish.  I  have  known 
some  fine  stocks  ruined  by  moving  them  six 
feet  and  from  that  to  a  mile  and  a  half.  It 
is  better  to  mov-e  them  before  swarming  than 
afterwards.  The  old  bees  only  will  be  lost. 
As  the  young  ones  are  constantly  hatch- 
ing, their  habits  will  be  formed  at  the  new 
stand,  and  the  combs  will  not  be  as  like- 
ly to  become  vacated,  so  as  to  afford  op- 
portunity to  the  moths  to  occupy  any  part  of 
their  ground. 

Swarms,  when  first  hived,  may  be  moved 
at  pleasure  without  loss  of  bees,  admitting 
they  are  all  in  the  hive  ;  their  habits  will  be 
formed  in  exact  proportion  to  their  labors. — 
The  first  bee  that  empties  his  sack  and  goes 
forth  in  search  of  food,  is  the  one  whose  hab- 
its are  first  established.  I  have  observed 
many  bees  to  cluster  near  the  place  where 
the  hive  stood,  but  a  few  hours  after  hiving, 
and  perish.  Now  if  the  swarm  had  been 
placed  in  the  apiary,  immediately  after  they 


MANAGING    BEES.  69 

were  hived,  the  number  of  bees  found  there 
would  have  been  less. 

Bees  may  be  moved  at  pleasure  a^  any 
season  of  the  year,  if  tlicy  are  carried  several 
miles,  so  as  to  be  beyond  their  knowledge 
of  country.  They  may  be  carried  long  jour- 
neys by  travelling  nii^d  its  only,  and  affording 
them  opportunity  to  labor  and  collect  food  in 
the  day  time. 

The  importance  of  this  part  of  bee-man- 
agement is  the  only  apology  I  can  make  for 
dwelling  so  long  on  this  point.  I  have  known 
many  to  suffer  serious  losses  in  consequence 
of  moving  their  bees  after  they  were  well  set- 
tled in  their  labors.  ^ 

Bees  should  nevei^e  irritated,  under  any 
pretence  whatever.  They  should  be  treated 
with  attention  and  kindness.  They  should  be 
kept  undisturbed  by  cattle  and  all  other  an- 
noyances, so  that  they  may  be  approached  at 
any  time  with  safety. 

An  apiary  should  be  so  situated,  that  swarm- 
ing may  be  observed,  and  at  the  same  time 
where  the  bees  can  obtain  food  easily,  and  in 
the  greatest  abundance. 

It  has  been  a  general  practice  to  front  bee- 
houses  either  to  the  east  or  south.  This  doc- 
trine should  be  exploded  with  all  other  whims. 


70  AN  EASY  METHOD  OP 

Apiaries  should  be  so  situated  as  to  be  con- 
venient.-to  their  owner,  as  much  as  any  other 
buildii^ilgs. 

I  have  them  front  towards  all  the  cardinal 
points,  but  can  distinguish  no  difference  in 
their  prosperity. 

Young  swarms  should  be  scattered  as  much 
as  convenient  during  tlie  summer  season,  at 
least  eight  feet  apart.  They  should  be  set  in 
a  frame  and  so  covered  as  to  exclude  the  sun 
and  weather  from  the  hive. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  this  branch  of  ru- 
ral economy,  in  consequence  of  the  depreda- 
tions of  the  moth,  is  so  much  neglected. — 
Notwithstanding,  in  so^^  parts  of  our  coun- 
try, the  business  of  managing  bees  has  been 
entirely  abandoned  for  years,  I  am  confident 
they  may  be  cultivated  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  render  them  more  profitable  to  their  own- 
ers, than  any  branch  of  agriculture,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  capital  necessary  to  be  invest- 
ed in  their  stock.  They  are  not  taxable 
property,  neither  does  it  require  a  large  land 
investment,  nor  fences  ;  neither  does  it  re- 
quire the  owner  to  labor  through  the  sum- 
mer to  support  them  through  the  winter. — 
Care  is,  indeed,  necessary,  but  a  child,  or 
a  superanuated  person  can  perform  most  of 


ihe  duties  of 
must  be  kept  a 
cinity  of  the  hiv 
removed. 

The  nianagem 
employment,  and 
best  success  in  cii 
towns  and  country, 
amusement,    as   \v< 
They  collect   hont 
kinds  of  forest  tree 
ers,  orchards,  fores^ 
bute  to  their  wants, 
fied  with  a  taste  of 
nonett  cannot  be  \oM 
This  plant  is  easil)^ 
garden,  and  is  one  c 
flowers  in  the  world  fr 
can  extract  its  food. 

The  Vermont  hive 
use  to  much  advantag 
there  are  some  other  i 
are  far  superior  to  the  o 
mer  of  1834,  I  receiver 
tra  honey  from  my  best  si 
and  from  my  poorest,    fifte- 
early  swarms   afforded    extra 
was  sold,  amounting  to  from 


ate  swarms  which 
icient  quantity  of 
:gh  the  following 

ng  work,  perhaps, 

instances,  too  par- 

,  they  will  be  found 

in  their  application, 

ns,  such  as  are  inci- 


000  002  557 


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